Romanian Sour Cherry Cake with a Light, Tender Sponge

Romanian sour cherry cake, often called prăjitură cu vișine, is a simple sheet cake made with a soft, airy sponge and tart cherries scattered through the batter. Its sweet, delicate crumb balances the fruit’s sharpness, and the easy-to-slice cake is served at room temperature; family and regional versions vary in their sponge and fruit toppings.

Ingredients

1½ pounds (680 g) fresh sour cherries, stemmed and pitted
1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour, for coating the cherries
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, from about ½ lemon
1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar, for serving, optional

Instructions

Prepare the pan and cherries. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking pan and line the bottom with parchment, leaving a little overhang to help lift out the cake. Pit the cherries and blot them dry with paper towels. If they are especially large, halve them so they distribute easily. Toss them with 1 tablespoon flour in a bowl; this light coating helps limit sinking and catches some surface moisture.
Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt until the leavener is evenly distributed. Break up any small lumps. Set the bowl beside the mixer or mixing bowl so the dry mixture can be folded in promptly once the eggs are whipped.
Whip the egg whites. In a clean, dry large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar while beating, then raise the speed to medium-high. Continue until the whites are glossy and hold soft-to-medium peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes. When you lift the beaters, the peak should stand but curl slightly at the tip. Avoid beating until the whites look dry or clumpy.
Mix in the yolks and flavorings. In a small bowl, whisk the yolks with the oil, vanilla, and lemon zest until combined. With the mixer on low, add this mixture to the whipped whites in a thin stream. Stop as soon as it is incorporated. The foam may lose a little volume, but it should remain light; too much mixing at this point can make the finished cake less airy.
Fold in the flour. Add the dry ingredients in three portions. Use a wide spatula to scrape down the side of the bowl and fold from the bottom up, rotating the bowl as you go. Stop when no dry streaks remain. A few small lumps are less harmful than vigorously beating the batter, which can deflate the egg foam and produce a tight crumb.
Add the cherries. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it gently into an even layer. Arrange the floured cherries over the top, spacing them across the whole pan. Press each cherry just slightly into the batter rather than stirring the fruit through the bowl; this keeps the batter aerated and gives each slice a fairly even share of fruit.
Bake until set. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan once near the end if your oven browns unevenly. The top should be golden, the center should spring back lightly when touched, and a wooden pick inserted into a patch of cake should come out without wet batter. Because this is an egg-containing baked dish, check that the center reaches at least 160°F (71°C) with an instant-read thermometer, the USDA FSIS safe minimum for egg dishes; a fully baked sponge may register higher. If the pick shows raw batter, bake for another 3 to 5 minutes and check again.
Cool before cutting. Set the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then use the parchment to lift the cake out if desired and cool it on the rack for another 45 minutes. Wait until the center is no longer warm before slicing, so the crumb can settle and the cherry juices do not smear through the cut edges. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if using.

Tips

Drain fruit thoroughly. Fresh sour cherries give the clearest tart flavor, but extra juice can make the sponge damp around the fruit. Blot pitted cherries dry, and do not add juice from the bowl. If using thawed frozen cherries, let them thaw completely in a strainer and pat them dry before tossing with flour.
Keep the egg foam intact. Whip the whites in a grease-free bowl and fold the flour in gently. The foam is the cake’s main source of lift, so avoid stirring the cherries into the batter or mixing until it looks perfectly smooth. A little unevenness is preferable to a deflated batter.
Adjust for sweet cherries. If sour cherries are unavailable, use the same quantity of sweet cherries and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice to the yolk-and-oil mixture. The cake will taste less tart and a little sweeter, so you can reduce the sugar by 1 to 2 tablespoons if you prefer a less-sweet result.
Check your pan and oven. A dark metal pan may brown the edges faster than a light pan; begin checking a few minutes early. A smaller, deeper pan changes the bake time and can leave the middle underdone, so use the stated 9-by-13-inch size when possible.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the cake at room temperature, cut into 12 squares, with the cherries visible on top. A light dusting of powdered sugar gives it a simple finish without hiding the fruit. For an afternoon snack, coffee or black tea is a natural companion; the cake is sweet enough to enjoy on its own and does not need frosting.

For a more substantial dessert, add a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream or plain thick yogurt beside each square. Vanilla ice cream also works, especially if the cake is served just slightly warm, though the contrast between tart fruit and cold cream makes the dessert richer. If you are serving a crowd, cut the cake into smaller squares and set out the accompaniments separately so guests can choose.

Variations

Use frozen sour cherries. Frozen pitted sour cherries work well when fresh fruit is out of season. Thaw them in a strainer, drain away the liquid, and blot them dry before coating with flour. Do not use them straight from the freezer: icy fruit chills the batter and releases extra moisture as it bakes.

Use jarred or canned cherries. Choose unsweetened or lightly sweetened sour cherries if available. Drain them very thoroughly and pat them dry; syrup-packed fruit can make the cake sweeter and wetter, so omit any added syrup and consider reducing the granulated sugar by a tablespoon or two. The texture may be softer than with fresh fruit.

Add a little almond flavor. Replace ¼ teaspoon of the vanilla with almond extract, or scatter ¼ cup (25 g) sliced almonds over the top before baking. Almond pairs naturally with cherries, but keep the amount restrained so it does not overpower their tart flavor.

Make a citrus version. Swap the lemon zest for finely grated orange zest for a rounder, sweeter aroma. You can also add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the flour mixture for a warmer profile. These are optional accents rather than requirements; the simple cherry-and-sponge combination is the point of this cake.

Storage and Reheating

Let the cake cool, then refrigerate it within 2 hours of baking. Store covered in the pan or in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. The cherries keep the crumb moist, so use parchment between stacked pieces if you need to layer them. For the neatest slices, cut only what you plan to serve and keep the remaining cake covered.

For longer storage, freeze individual pieces in a single layer until firm, then wrap them well or transfer them to a freezer-safe container. They keep best for about 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature, while keeping within the 2-hour room-temperature limit once thawed. If you warm a leftover portion, reheat it to 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS temperature for reheated leftovers. A low oven works better than a microwave for warming several pieces, while a microwave is convenient for one piece but can soften the crumb.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen sour cherries without thawing them?

Thaw them first. Frozen cherries added directly to the pan can cool the batter and release water unevenly, leaving wet pockets around the fruit. Thaw in a strainer, discard the liquid, and blot the cherries dry before coating them with the measured flour.

Why did my cherries sink to the bottom?

Very wet or heavy cherries can sink, especially if the batter has been overmixed and lost its air. Dry the fruit well, coat it lightly with flour, and place it over the batter rather than stirring it in. Some sinking is normal, and it does not mean the cake has failed.

Can I make this cake without separating the eggs?

You can beat the whole eggs with the sugar until very pale and thick, then slowly mix in the oil and fold in the dry ingredients. The result may be a little less airy than the separated-egg version, and it is important to whip the whole eggs thoroughly before adding the oil. Avoid simply stirring the eggs together, which makes a heavier sponge.

How do I know when the center is baked?

Look for a golden top that springs back gently, and test a section without a cherry with a wooden pick. It should come out without wet batter. An instant-read thermometer is a useful additional check: the center must reach at least 160°F (71°C) for egg-dish safety, and the cake may be hotter when fully baked.

Can I bake the cake a day ahead?

Yes. Cool it fully, cover it, and refrigerate it; it will keep well for 3 to 4 days. The crumb can become a little firmer when cold, so let a portion sit briefly at room temperature before serving, while observing the limit of 2 hours outside refrigeration. Add powdered sugar just before serving because it can dissolve into the moist surface.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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